Film synchronization and identification marking system



March 30, 1954 R W RODERICK 2,673,485

ON MARKING SYSTEM FILM SYNCHRONIZATION AND IDENTIFICATI 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed Jul;r 27, 1951 kMv March 30, 1954 R w, RODERICK 2,673,485

TIoN AND IDENTIFICATION MARKING SYSTEM l FILM SYNCHRONIZA 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1951 INVENTOR., abef 14./ Rade/'M' AaR/VEX Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILM SYN CHRONIZATION AND IDENTIFICA- TION MARKING SYSTEM Robert W. Roderick, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application July 27, 1951, Serial No. 238,962 8 Claims. (Cl. 88-162) lY 2 This invention relates to synchronizing SyS- schematic drawing of the recording system, and tems, and particularly to a system for providing Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic drawing of a rerecordsynchronization marks on a picture hlm and a ing system for transferring the marks on a sound nlm simultaneously, the marks serving magnetic sound track to a photographic sound to identify any one particular camera of several 5 track, cameras photographing a scene. Referring now to Fig. 1, a standard source of .Systems for simultaneously marking a picture three-phase power is applied over conductors 5, film and a lm on which concomitant sound is G, and 'I to a camera 8 when a switch I0 is closed. recorded are well-known, one such system shown Over conductors so to 85, inclusive, power is apin Robinson U. S. Patent No. 1,771,940 of July plied to a magnetic recorder 9 when switch II 29, 1930. AlSo, Systems for marking a Sound is closed. The closing of switch I also applies film t0 identify one 0f a plurality of Cameras power from one phase of conductors 5, 6, and photographing a certain scene are known, such 1 to the winding of a time delay relay I2 have System being disclosed in Owens U. S. Patent ing a contact I4. Also simultaneously, power No 1,950,091 of Merch 6, 1934. The present in- 15 is applied from conductors 5 and 6 to a motor vention is directed to a System of the general lr6 over conductors I1, I8, and I9 across contact type ShOWn yin the OWenS patent, but Which I4 to drive a commutating device. The motor utilizes a commutatng System for providing IS may be geared so that its shaft 2| rotates at synchronization and camera identiiication marks the proper Speed, euch as one revolution per on both the camera and sound lms. For inminute.

stance, a slow speed motor drives a conducton the shaft 2| of motor i6, is a rotatable disc ing Slip ring Segment for a predetermined time or slip ring having a conducting segment 23 and to automatically permit the cameras and rea non-conducting segment 24, shown by the solid corder to reach the same uniform speed and then and` dotted lines, respectively. A pair of brushes to automatically apply Synchronization and 25 25 are adapted to be shorted when the segment identification marks t0 both the Camera and 23 is in contact with both brushes. Also rotated Sound filmS- When themarks are Originally apby shaft 2I is a rotatable disc having a short plied t0 a magnetic Sound record, a Systemr iS conducting segment 28 and a non-conducting provided for applying the synchronization and segment 21 shown by the solid and dotted lines, identifying marks t0 a photographie film during 3U respectively. Current will pass between brushes rerecording. 29 when the conducting segment 28 is in contact The principal object of the invention, therewith beth brushes,

fore, is to facilitate the synchronization of pic- The brushes 29 are connected to one phase of ture and sound lms. the three-phase power supply over the primary .Another Object 0f the nVentlOn S t0 facilitate ,l5 of a transformer 3 The Secondary of transthe placing 0f SynChrOnZetOn and identeau former 30 is connected in series with a pilot lamp tion marks on both picture films and a sound I3| external 0f the camera a and a marking nlm. lamp 32 for light impressing the picture film in A further Object Of the invention iS t0 provide camera e. Connected in parallel across the secan improved System for providingr synehroniza- 4U ondary of transformer 39 is an L pad I3, which tion and identification marks 0n one 01 more is connected by conductors 34 to the recording camera lmS and a Sound i11n head in the magnetic recorder e. A micro- A still further object of the invention is to phone 35 feeds the recording head in the reprovide an automatic system of identifying a corder 9,

picture film with respect to a certain camera and The operation of the pori-,ien of the circuit of a SOUnd film- Fig'. 1 just described will now be explained. Upon Although the novel features Whlch are believed the closing of Switches and Il, the Synchroto be characteristic of this invention Will be nous driving motor of Camere, Na 1 and the pointed out With partioulerity in the appended synchronous driving motor in recorder 9 are claims, the manner of its organization and the both energized over their respective conductors. mode of its operation will be better understood Simultaneously, the motor I6 is energized over by referring to the following description, read normally closed contact I4. The motor I6 roin conjunction with the accompanying drawtates the two discs which brings the conducting ings, forming a part hereof, in which: Y portion 23 in contact with brushes 25 before the Fig. 1 is a combination 'diagrammatic 'and 55 time delay relay l2 is actuated to break its conthe motor I6 will continue to operate after contact I4 is broken and until nonconducting segment 24 reaches the brushes 25. As the camera 8 and recorder 9 accelerate to uniform speed, the segment 28 approaches the brushes 29 and when uniform film speed is reached, the brushes 29 are short-circuited by segment 28 and a sixty cycle tone will be impressed over transformer 30 on the pilot lamp 3l and the camera film blooping or marking lamp 32. Simultaneously, the sixty cycle tone will be impressed on the recording head of the magnetic recorder 9 over conductors 34. The conducting segment 28 is positioned with respect to the nonconducting segment 24 so that as soon as a mark has been applied, the brushes 25 are open-circuited, which will stop motor I6. This operation places a single mark on the film in the camera and a single mark on the sound film in the magnetic recorder 9.

`The remaining portion of the system shown in Fig. 1 is similar to the portion just described. The closing of a three-pole switch applies power to a camera 31 over conductors 38, 39, and 40. A motor 42, similar to motor I9, rotates a `conducting segment 43, similar to segment 23, to contact brushes 44, similar to brushes 25. A non-conducting segment 26 is provided between the ends of segment 43. A disc having two conducing segments 46 and 41 and non-conducting sections and 4B is also driven by motor 42. The segments 43 and 41 are adapted to shortcircuit brushes 49, thus energizing a transformer 5U with sixty cycle power from one phase of the three-phase source. Thus, a pilot lamp 5I and a bloc-ping or marking lamp 52 in camera No. 2 are energized. Simultaneously, over L pad 33 and conductors the recording head in magnetic recorder 9 is actuated.

The portion of the system of Fig. l just de scribed functions in the same manner as the portion previously described. However, synchronization and identification marks are now applied tact I4. Thus,

vto the film in camera No. 2 and to the film in magnetic recorder 9 to provide both synchronize.- tion marks for both lms and to identify camera No. 2 by having two marks made in series both on the picture nlm and sound nlm. Time delay relay 56 functions in the same manner as time relay l2; that only` after the brushes 44 are short-circuited to apply power to motor 42. As soon as the two synchronization and identification marks are applied to both `films by segments 43 and 41, shorting brushes 49, the non-conducting segment 25 arrives at brushes 44 to stop motor 42. Since camera No. 2 may be started before camera No. 1 is stopped or is still photographing, the L pad I3 prevents the sixty cycle tone from lighting lamps 3I and 32 while still applying the tone to the magnetic sound film. Pad 33 serves the same purpose when camera No. 1 is started after camera No. 2.

A third switch til is shown, which may control the starting of a camera No. 3 and another is, the contacts 51 are opened l motor and commutator, not shown, corresponding to the motors IE and 42 just described. However, the third motor would rotate a disc having three conducting segments instead of the one shown at 28 or the two shown at 455 and. 41, so that three successive signals will be applied to both the picture and sound films to indicate camera No. 3. For more cameras, additional conducting segments may be provided.

From the above description, it will be realized the energization of each camera,

that upon the closing of either of switches I0, 36, or 6U, synchronization or start marks will be applied to the lms in a respective camera and the nlm in the magnetic recorder, the marks applied also identifying the camera or cameras photographing the scene at any particular time.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a system for transferring the magnetic synchronization marks to a photographic sound track is illustrated. In this system, a magnetic reproducer 62 feeds a seventy cycle low-pass lter 63, the output of which is amplified in ampliiier 64 and rectified in a rectifier 65. The output of the rectifier is fed to a control tube 66 which may be of the nature of a thyratron. That is, the tube 63 may be normally biased to cut off, plate current owing through a relay winding 51 when the rectified current is impressed thereon.

`When the relay winding 61 is energized, it closes its contact E9 and energy from an electrical source, such as a battery 1I, is ed overconductors 12 to a pilot lamp 13 and a biooping or marking lamp 14 in a photographic recorder 15. Thus, as the sixty cycle signals are reproduced in the reproducer 62, they will energize lamps 13 and 14 to impress on the photographic sound nlm corresponding marks in the form of light images. The regular reproduced` signal will be prevented from actuating the lamps 13' and 'Irl by the seventy cycle low-pass filter. The concomitant sound signal will be impressed on an eighty cycle high-pass filter 19 and then on conductors 16, amplifier 11, and conductors 1,8 to the modulator in the photographic recorder 15. By using filter 19, the `marking signals are eliminated from the photographic sound track in the event a second or third camera is started during the operation of another camera. The synchronization and identification signals, however, are applied to the photographic sound film, but not in the sound track area.

The recording and rerecording systems above described function automatically. The recording systems marks both picture and sound filmsupon which provides the necessary synchronization or start marks to permit the proper combination of the films `at a later time, and to identify a particular camera or cameras photographing the scene on bothpicture and sound films. The rerecording system transfers the marks on a magnetic sound film to a photographic film, which marks may be `used to enable both photographic picture and sound nlms to be combined into a composite print.

I claim:

l. A system for providing synchronization marks on picture and sound films and forv marking said films to identify said films, comprising a camera having a picture film therein, a` sound recorder having a sound film therein, means for advancing said films in said camera and recorder, energizing means for said film advancing means, a commutating device including a motor `energized by said energizing means, said device including a ring having a conducting sectienand a non-conducting section and a second ring-having a conducting section and a non-conducting section, a circuit for initially energizing said motor of said commutating device, said circuit including a time delay relay for breaking said circuit after a predetermined time period, a second circuit for energizing said motor connected through said conducting section of said nrst men-` tioned conducting ringsaid second circuit supplying power to said motor after said time de- 5 lay relay has disconnected said nrst mentioned circuit from said motor, and a third circuit for applying energy from said energizing means through the conducting section of said second mentioned ring for exposing the nlm in said camera and marking the nlm in said recorder.

2. A nlm marking and identification system, comprising a power supply, a plurality of picture cameras, a sound recorder, switches for connectlng said power supply to said cameras and sound recorder for advancing respective picture nlms in said cameras and a sound nlm in said recorder, nlm marking means in each of said cameras and said recorder, a circuit for connecting said power supply to said nlm marking means for a predetermined time interval, a motor for controlling said circuit, and a second circuit for controlling the time said motor is connected to said power supply, said nrst mentioned circuit including a conducting segment rotatablc by said motor and said second circuit including a conducting segment rotatable by said motor, said last mentioned segment being of a length and rotatable at a speed such that said motor is energized until said nlms reach uniform speed andsaid nrst mentioned segment closes said nrst mentioned circuit, said second mentioned circuitincluding a pair of normally closed contacts and a time delay relay for opening said contacts when said second mentioned segment has closed said second mentioned circuit.

3. A nlm marking system for automatically applying marks to nlms in a plurality of picture cameras and a nlm in a sound recorder, comprising separate means in each camera and in said recorder for advancing nlms at a uniform speed, a power supply, a switch for connecting each of said nlm advancing means in each of said cameras to said power supply, a commutating device for each camera, conducting elements and a motor for rotating said elements, said motor being energized simultaneously with the connection of a respective camera film advancing means to saidr power supsaid device including a plurality ofply, a circuit through one of said conducting elements for maintaining said motor connected to said power supply during a predetermined time interval, nlm marking means in each of said cameras and in said recorder, and a second oircuit through other of said conducting elements for connecting said power supply to respective nlm marking means in one camera and in said sound recorder for marking the nlm in said sound recorder the same as the nlm in said camera connected to said power supply.

4. A nlm marking system in accordance with claim 3, in which the number of conducting elements in each of said commutating devices is different to provide identincation marks on each of said camera nlms and simultaneously on said sound nlm.

5. A system for marking a plurality of nlms comprising a picture nlm and a sound nlm, a nrst motor for advancing said picture nlm, a second motor for advancing said sound nlm, a lamp, means for energizing said motors, said energizing means supplying energy for said lamp for exposing said picture nlm and a signal for simultaneously recording on said sound nlm, a commutating device, said commutating device including a plurality of rotatable conducting and non-conducting segments, a third motor for rotating said segments, said third motor being energized simultaneously with the energization of one of said nrst mentioned motors, and a plurality of nxed contacts associated with said segments, one position of certain of said segments with respect to certain of said nxed contacts maintaining said third motor energized for a predetermined time period, and another position of certain other of said segments and certain other of said contacts connecting said energizing means to said lamp and for producing said signal.

6. A system for marking a plurality of nlms in accordance with claim 5, in which said system includes a time delay relay connected in series with said energizing means and said third motor in parallel with said commutating device for connecting said third motor to said energizing means a predetermined time period before the connecting of said third motor by said commutating device to said energizing means.

'7. A system for marking picture and sound nlms to provide start marks thereon and marks thereon for identifying the camera in which picture nlm has been exposed comprising a camera, a lamp in said camera for exposing said picture nlm therein, a sound recorder, a sound signal modulator in said recorder for marking said sound nlm therein, means in said camera and in said recorder for simultaneously advancing said nlms, means for applying energy to said lamp and to said recorder modulator simultaneously, a commutating device, a motor for rotating said commutating device, a power source, a control circuit for connecting said motor to said power source to rotate said commutating device, said circuit connecting said motor to said source for a predetermined time period comparable to the time period required for said nlms to be accelerated by said advancing means to uniform speed, and means in said commutating device for connecting said power source to said camera nlm exposing means and said recorder modulator, said control circuit de-energizing said commutating device motor immediately after said nlm exposing means and said recording modulator have been actuated.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7, in which said commutating device control circuit includes a rotatable conducting segment for connecting said power source to said motor of said commutating device for said predetermined time period, a second conducting segment for connecting said power source to said nlm exposing means and said recorder modulator for a predetermined time period, and time delay means connected in series with said power source and said commutating device motor and in parallel with said commutating device for connecting said commutating device motor to said power source before the connecting of said motor to said power source by said commutating device.

ROBERT W. RODERICK.

References Cited in the nle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

